Conan the Barbarian #1

BY CROM, THE GREATEST SWORD-AND-SORCERY HERO RETURNS TO MARVEL! From an age undreamed...hither came Conan the Cimmerian, black-haired, sullen-eyed, sword in hand, a thief, a reaver, a slayer, with gigantic melancholies and gigantic mirth, to tread the jeweled thrones of the Earth under his sandaled feet... Robert E. Howard's creation returns to comics, in an epic tale as only MARVEL could bring you! Conan's travels have brought him to the far reaches of the unkown, from his birthplace in Cimmeria to the kingdom of Aquilonia and all in between. As his fighting prowess allows him to carve his way through life, so too does it attract the forces of death! The all-new ages-spanning saga begins here, by writer Jason Aaron (THE MIGHTY THOR, STAR WARS) and artist Mahmud Asrar (UNCANNY X-MEN, ALL-NEW, ALL-DIFFERENT AVENGERS), as Conan's destiny is forever changed! Parental Advisorymore

Conan the Barbarian #1 was a spectacular issue and one I will very likely read and reread throughout the year. As single issues go, this feels an easy contender for either a Top 10 or Top 20 of the year. In terms of comic series, the same applies. When the run on this comic concludes, the creators will have made something magnificent to behold and one of the greatest comics of the 2010s-2020s. Read Full Review

Mahmud Asrar's art is stunning in this issue. There is an astounding level of detail to this book and the violence is both savage and beautiful. I was blown away with how good this book looks as well as how fun it was to read. Can't wait to see what happens next. Read Full Review

Aaron uses a time-shifting story device he's been using in Thor's comic - and it's effective here, but I hope he doesn't go to the well too many times (so to speak). Still, it's a great start to the new series (and it's an original story, not an adaptation) - I'm looking forward to the next issue! Read Full Review

Conan the Barbarian #1 isn't just a bunch of sword swinging and yelling. The story is well thought out and will surprise you with its wit and smarts. If you're looking for something new to read, Conan might be the answer. Read Full Review

I don't really know what a Conan the Barbarian story is supposed to feel like, but Conan the Barbarian #1 feels like one to me. It has all the ingredients of a fantastic fantasy tale and was just a ton of fun to read. Aaron delivers a winding fantasy tale that I am very excited to see where it takes Conan, and the art team is fantastic as well. I can't imagine, if you are a fan of Conan, not liking this; and if you are new to the “Cimmerian Barbarian” then this is a perfect place to jump on! Read Full Review

With this first issue, or if you go with the Legacy numbering (which I love), #276, Conan's feet have been firmly placed on the battlefield of Marvel, and I say it is about time. CONAN THE BARBARIAN #1 may herald the beginning of one of the most interesting series of stories for the character in years, and I for one will heed its call. Read Full Review

Conan returns to Marvel with a savage splash of blood and a straightforward tale of sword versus sorcery. This introduction demonstrates ample and admirable skill. If Conan is going to become relevant and challenging, though, this story needs a little more complexity in future installments. Read Full Review

Conan the Barbarian #1 is a fun, nostalgic return to a familiar fantasy realm, which will please long-term fans of the Cimmerian. Nothing challenging or innovative is added to Conans lore, however, so whether seeds of series sustainability have been planted, remains to be seen. Read Full Review

Marvel’s new Conan the Barbarian is the best of both worlds. Not only is it a solidly entertaining introduction of the Cimmerian to a whole new audience of readers, but a reverent adaptation that acknowledges the wealth of material that came before it. Jason Aaron, Mahmud Asrar, and Matthew Wilson keep their eye on the past, but their swords pointed forward in this bloody fun debut issue. Read Full Review

Heil to the King! If you are a fan of Conan or just a casual sword and sorcery fan, either way,you will find this a good read. Grab this book;"and if you do not listen, the HELL with you". Read Full Review

I read so many comics that it often surprises people when I tell them I have never checked out Jason Aaron's run on Thor. There were a lot of complaints about Jane Foster becoming Thor and Odinson being revealed as Unworthy. I didn't really care about the controversy and chalk it up more so as me just not following Marvel all that closely the past few years.

I know Jason Aaron primarily from his run on Southern Bastards. Bastards is one of the most violent and poignant series that I've read in recent memory and is one of the reading experiences I swear by when I make suggestions to new readers.

When I heard Jason was taking the reigns on Conan The Barbarian I was excited because Jason seemed like the perfect candidate for the series.

The plot is pretty straight-forward for Conan. We get a rundown of who he is and the Hyborian setting. After winning a fight Conan is seduced by a woman seeking to resurrect her god. Conan manages to spoil the plot but it comes back to haunt him decades later after he becomes king.

Jason has an excellent voice for Conan. His Conan is a brute but he's not an idiot. There's a complexity brimming beneath the surface. Mahmud Asrar and Matthew Wilson are on pencils and colors. The art direction is stellar. The action is fast paced brutal and conveys a ton of energy on every page. Even when the action slips into more mundane scenes it looks great and there is no dip in overall quality

Conan the Barbarian #1is a perfect rendition of the character. In fact, the only knock I can give the issue is that it doesn't really stand out a amongst Conan stories. However, it's exactly what you want from the character. I had fun but struggled to remember plot details when it was time to write this review. That's not really a knock on the writing or art. It's speaks more to the limitations surrounding the character.
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The Issue is $4.99 and for once I didn't feel the need to complain. The issue is oversized 37 pages and delivers a definitive Conan experience. There is one team delivering a great story from beginning to end. If you're a fan of the character, it doesn't get much better than this. If not you're the biggest fan of Conan you're still in for an above average reading experience.

This was an alright issue... There was a ton of exposition that's trying to establish Conan and this world, and to Jason Aaron's credit, I was never bored by this. I only have a very small amount of knowledge of Conan and I never felt lost. There was a YouTube video promoting the upcoming War of the Realms and in it, they say that Jason Aaron has always been able to make a comic "new reader friendly." And I didn't really believe that for whatever reason, I just thought it was Marvel trying to sell an event based on nearly seven years worth of stories. But this Conan issue really sold me on that idea. It's extremely new reader friendly while not feeling like it's being dumbed-down or anything like that. My problem with this issue is that not a lot happens and yet we focus on that a ton. Although, what does happen is really fun and cool. It's just the pacing seems a little slow and this isn't such a bombastic opening, like we've all come to expect from comics in general. I really like the Crimson Witch, especially once she becomes a bloated corpse monster, that's real fun. In fact, I'm very excited for issue two despite not absolutely loving this issue. It's well written and well drawn, while not blowing anyone's minds.more

Maybe. The action scenes are good, but the story is uninteresting and there is a lot of exposition. I'm still holding out hope for it to improve. I'm hoping that Gerry Duggan's Savage Sword of Conan will be better than this, but I guess we'll see.

The first part of the issue was of course intended to be a standard 1970s Conan story, and it was reasonably good but it felt just a bit like an imitation of the superb Roy Thomas era, and the causal sexism of that era and of Conan's world doesn't hold up well. But then we shift to old Conan, and the there is a new and welcome focus on a character I haven't seen nearly enough of. Very promisinsg, if still also with the potential to falter on all those outdated tropes.